Research

Born in 1988, Chantal Lesley received a BFA from Texas State University in 2021. Chantal Lesley uses self-portraits, staged images, and manipulated family photographs to look at the many layers of family and cultural history. “Is there one that dominates above the rest,” she asks, “or can they all live within someone harmoniously?”

In the project’s title photograph “In the Midst of My Nostalgia,” for example, Lesley casts herself as the figure in Andrew Wyeth’s famous painting “Christina’s World,” which depicts his polio-stricken neighbour on a Maine landscape – struggling with dignity despite her condition. Where Wyeth’s intention was to “do justice to her extraordinary conquest for life,” Lesley inserts her own struggle for hope. In place of Wyeth’s dreamy field and romantic Maine barn, she casts herself looking at a border wall.

This is just one of many images that create a piecemeal narrative to reflect this in-between state. Each image ultimately ponders the evaporation of ethnic roots can create an isolating and confused sense of self.

Moodboard

How it relates to ‘Origins’

Chantal Lesley’s work relates to the them of ‘origins’ because most of her photos consist of people from diverse cultural backgrounds, exploring how culture, race and community influence identity. Culture and heritage are key parts of where a person comes from.

Why I chose Chantal Lesley

I chose Chantal Leslie as an artist case study because her photography explores identity, heritage and cultural background, which strongly relates to the theme of “origins.” Her work focuses on portraiture and representation, often highlighting how a person’s culture, upbringing and community influence who they are. This interested me because my project also looks at origins through objects in my home and family photographs that reflect my Portuguese heritage and upbringing.

Her background

Chantal Lesley is a conceptual photographer who grew up on the U.S. / Mexico border as the daughter of German and Peruvian immigrants. Her multicultural upbringing influenced her interest in identity, heritage and belonging. Much of her work explores family history and cultural background through symbolism and archival imagery, which connects strongly to themes of origins and personal identity.

Methods and Techniques used

Lesley uses a range of photographic methods to explore identity, heritage and personal history. One of her main techniques is portraiture, where she places the subject clearly within the frame so that their identity and expression becomes the focus of the image. She often uses simple or minimal backgrounds, allowing attention to remain on the person or symbolic elements within the photograph. Lesley also works with natural lighting, which helps create a more authentic and intimate atmosphere in her images. In some of her work she incorporates objects, clothing or details that represent cultural background, using these elements as visual symbols of heritage and upbringing. She also uses black and white photography to emphasise tone, contrast and texture, creating a timeless quality that reflects themes of memory and personal origins.

Style + Approach

Chantal Lesley’s photographic style is conceptual and autobiographical, meaning that her work is based on her own life experiences and personal identity. She often creates staged images, self-portraits and manipulated family photographs to explore themes of cultural heritage, memory and belonging. Her approach focuses on constructing visual narratives that represent her upbringing and multicultural background. Lesley explains that her work is motivated by a need to understand her identity across different cultures, stating that her work is “driven by a demand to be seen and understood while uncovering the layers of my identity as part of four different cultures.”

Meaning + Philosophy (conceptual)

The conceptual meaning of Lesley’s photography is to explore how identity is shaped by heritage, memory and personal history. Her work investigates the feelings of belonging to multiple cultures and uses family archives, symbolism and stages imagery to understand where she comes from. Through this approach, her photographs question how upbringing and cultural backgrounds influence a person’s sense of self and connection to their origins.

Quote

“I use photography as a way to understand my own identity and the cultural influences that have shaped my life.” – Chantal Lesley

Photo Analysis

Technical:

The image uses studio lighting where a strong use of red-toned lighting is used and gives a very dramatic feel. To achieve subject sharpness, a fast shutter speed was likely employed by the photographer. It seems that an intentionally shallow depth of field was used to disconnect the pattern from the subject. The staging of the composition is carefully thought out, with the subject framed at the centre holding a mirror. The lighting focused on the subject’s face and reflection ensuring that both were visible.

Visual:

The image’s strength is, in large part, due to its visuals and their strong red colour palette on the subject’s clothing and lighting. The subject stands at the focal point of the image as a result of the red hues provided. The mirror reveals a second face that emerges out of the frame. The subject’s neutral expression is serious in character which induces a sense of reflection. The image feels very symmetrical and framed and is in harmony but gives a little unease.

Contextual:

Chantal Lesley often deals with identity, culture and history. Her multicultural background informs this exploration. This image is consistent with contemporary photography that emphasises self-representation and identity. In conceptual photography, communications on how identity is constructed, staged portraiture and mirrors to unravel viewpoints. Connections to the themes of belonging and cultural duality, which remain so important today, can be drawn from her work.

Conceptual:

Conceptually, the figure embodies the notion that we al have multiple identities that form our individual selves. When we see ourselves in the mirror we see a different version of our subject. That is a version that we perceive differently. Different spheres of identity, for instance, heritage or individual narrative could also be represented. The colour of red lighting may be used at strategic points in the photo to symbolise emotion, intensity or even conflict. The image implies that identity is layered, complex and is influenced by various experiences and origins.